Black, White,and Gray
by SeaKat
Summary: Alternate concept to Blind!Clark. Set after Whisper. Clark does not regain his sight.
1. Chapter 1

Smallville. Set after "Whisper". Clark never regained his sight and has been pretending that he can see to keep his parents from worrying. He has developed at new ability.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, just the idea.

* * *

Having such a bland wardrobe had always been a source of frustration for the teenager, until now. Clark let out a heavy sigh. Knowing that the various shades of blue, red, and white would all match gave him a small measure of relief. At least he wouldn't look too ridiculous. He debated whether to worry with finding the recently purchased glasses.

The glasses did nothing to distinguish things. They were just a way to ease his parents' fears.

Everything was a huge blur. No shapes. No colors. Varying shades of black, white, and gray were all he saw. Like a kindergartner's first finger-painting with water colors, everything ran together. He could tell that the darker gray or black things were, the more solid the object. The lighter objects were less substantial things. Aside from these differences, he was completely blind.

"Clark! You're going to be late!" Martha Kent hollered from the kitchen. A sad smile crossed his handsome face. A smile that did not reach his sightless eyes. He could imagine the look of concern creasing her sun-kissed brow. He silently mourned that he would never see her auburn hair light up under the sun as they worked together in the garden. His heart cracked ever-so-slightly at the thought of never seeing her eyes twinkle and her cheeks flush when she looked at his dad.

"I'll be down in a minute, Mom."

He grabbed the glasses he'd placed on the nightstand. He could tell that the charcoal gray blob in his hand was his sunglasses. If asked, he would just say that the fluorescent light at school stung his eyes. In reality, the dark glasses would help disguise the fact that he wasn't focusing on his friends' faces or the books in front of him.

* * *

As he made his way downstairs, the screen door creaked. Before the visitor spoke, Clark could smell the young man's aftershave. It was a mix of citrus and spice. There was another scent, more earthy and woodsy, that was pure Pete.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Kent! Hey, Clark. You want to ride to school with me? The ground is super muddy and I figured you probably missed the bus..."

"Sure," Clark said as he stepped towards the fruit bowl on the counter. Fruit was a safe choice. Regardless of whether he grabbed a green or red apple, he wouldn't have to peel anything. He made his way towards the shorter gray blob that smelled like gardenias, kissed Martha's cheek, and said goodbye to his parents as he followed the short blob that was his best friend. This was going to be the Monday-est of all Mondays.


	2. Chapter 2

Set after "Whisper". Clark never regained his sight and has been pretending that he can see to keep his parents from worrying. He has developed at new ability.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, just the idea. Please leave a review, good, bad, or ideas

* * *

The grays blended together as Pete sped to school. He chattered away about a new cute girl he noticed at the Talon. Clark vaguely listened as he tried to distinguish the various landmarks. Was that a windmill or a tree? Had they already passed the McNally farm?

How had he thought this charade would realistically work? Being on the Kent farm was easy. He'd memorized its layout within the first 6 months of his arrival. Like Jonathan Kent, the farm was steadfast and safe. Outside the farm, things moved at a faster pace. Things, people, were unpredictable (though Smallville was hardly chaotic like Metropolis). He clicked hid tongue in frustration.

To Clark, the reverberations from that single click echoed like a gong being pounded in the Grand Canyon. The waves of sound bounced back at him like sonar, painting an image in his mind. He could "see" that they were coming up to the high school parking lot and the rows of parked cars. He could make out the shapes of individuals moving from vehicles toward the entrance of the school. Then, as quick as the muted images came, they disappeared. Pete has still droning on about the cutie he'd chatted up, showing no sign of having heard Clark.

* * *

Nervous tension ran through Clark. He stiffened as he gingerly stepped from the vehicle. His worst fear was that he would accidentally step on or run into someone. A misstep like that could seriously hurt anyone else. He listened intently, measuring footsteps and paces. He breathed in and noticed the various scents. Perfumes and aftershaves. Deodorants and lotions. Paint and floor wax. Each different scent had a different location or person associated with it.

A few quick steps approached. The scent of coffee, vanilla, and bubble gum reached him before he heard Chloe speak. "What's with the shades, Clark? Is your future to bright?" He could hear the smirk in her voice.

"While I always appreciate a song reference, no. My eyes are still really sensitive and the florescent lights give me migraines now," he lied so eloquently. He hated how easy it was becoming. He clicked his tongue again and the outline of a small pixie-of-a-girl flooded his mind. Again, there was no indication that either Pete or Chloe had heard him. He smiled ruefully. He missed her cheeky smile.

* * *

There was no rest for his senses. Between concentrating on the various sounds and matching the various scents to their places and people, Clark was spent by the time lunch rolled around. He found his way outside to sit when a familiar scent hit him. Lilacs and honey. Soft, yet sure, steps made their way toward him. "Hi, Lana."


	3. Chapter 3

Set after "Whisper". Clark never regained his sight and has been pretending that he can see to keep his parents from worrying. He has developed at new ability.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, just the idea. Please leave a review, good, bad, or ideas

* * *

Clark smiled. Lana Lang was his idea of perfection. In his mind's eye, he remembered her appearance. Long, raven hair fell like silk around her shoulders. Her almond eyes were cat-like in shape, color, and intensity. She noticed everything without being obvious. Her nose crinkled the cutest way when she smiled. Her skin appeared to glow in the sunlight. To Clark, she was as close to an angel as he would ever come.

"Hi, Clark. I noticed you weren't in the cafeteria. I wanted to see how you were feeling,"she softly spoke.

Clark clicked his tongue. The images flooded his brain. It was like he was staring at a photo negative. He could see that she was standing in front of him. Close enough that he could touch her if he just brought his arm up. He patted the ground at his side, "Have a seat. I'll be okay. It's just a headache."

"You get a lot of headaches, Clark." She gracefully sat next to him, taking an apple from her bag. "Have you mentioned that to your parents?"

"They're just headaches. Nothing to worry about."

Lana scowled. He wasn't telling her everything. He wouldn't even look at her. "I'm just worried about you, Clark. I'd better get to my next class. I need to review for a test."

The boy sighed. She was upset. He could hear it in her voice. He made one last click and "watched" as Lana walked away.

* * *

Pete could tell something was off. Clark had asked for a ride home. He never did that. Staring at his friend's face, he looked haggard. His lips were drawn tight and his brow furrowed. He looked like he was in pain.

Pete pulled onto a side road. Nothing but cornfields were as far as the eye could see. "Alright, Clark. What's going on?"

Clark jerked slightly. "What do you mean? I'm fine."

"Look. I think I know you well enough to tell when something isn't right. You can talk to me. It's me, Pete Ross. Best-friend. Secret Keeper extraordinaire."

Clark knew he couldn't keep up the charade outside the farm. Not without help. "You have to promise, swear, you won't tell my parents. They worry enough."

"Geez, Clark. You're talking like you're dying...that's not it is it? Are you sick? Is it the meteor rock? I have to tell them! They can help," Pete's over-active imagination wove horror stories of his friend dying.

"No! No, no, I'm not dying," Clark chuckled. That would be easier than living in a colorless void, unable to appreciate the thing he took for granted...Chloe's eye's twinkling when she laughed... His mom's expression of joy when he gave her flowers...How radiant Lana looked when she was in the sunlight…

"Pete, I'm still blind. I can't see."


	4. Chapter 4

Set after "Whisper". Clark never regained his sight and has been pretending that he can see to keep his parents from worrying. He has developed at new ability.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, just the idea. Please leave a review, good, bad, or ideas

* * *

"What? How have you managed to do everything you've been doing?" Pete questioned. He had always admired Clark's tenacity. This...This was just beyond stubborn. "Why are you hiding this? You have friends and family that will help you."

"First, I haven't told anyone because I don't want pity and I don't want Mom and Dad to worry. Second, I can see shades of gray. And today… something happened. I don't know how to explain it. It's like sonar, maybe...I make this noise and images pop into my head. It looks like film negatives. And my sense of smell is off the charts. You wear Polo aftershave, right? And your mom uses cedar to line you dresser, doesn't she?"

"Dude, that's just weird. But they always say people who lose one sense have the others amplified. Like your hearing. We'll just have to work on this so you can focus things." And that was exactly what they did.

* * *

This is how the clumsy image of Clark Kent began. The knocking over of coffee cups just out of sight. The stumbling on trashcans that could have been sidestepped easily. It was a ruse that helped created the alter-ego. A secret only known by three people: Pete, Lois, and Clark himself.


End file.
